Heavy bags are important for any martial art training and choosing the right heavy bag is important to develop and hone one’s striking skill and a bad choice can be detrimental to your training.Before buying heavy bags, consider if you need a free standing heavy bag or a hanging heavy bag. The free standing heavy bags are good for ground and pound training, easier to set and can be set up anywhere and move easily. However, these bags are not as sturdy as hanging bags as hard strikes can move the bag and is more expensive than hanging heavy bags.In comparison, hanging bags provide better striking experience, and its mobility can help one train on speed, timing and accuracy. Hanging heavy bags may need a stand or a sturdy place for hanging it and cannot be moved from room to room, easily.

Weight is another factor to be considered while buying a heavy punching bag especially the hanging one. The thumb rule is to choose a bag that is half your weight. For example, if you weigh 180 pounds buy a bag that is between 80 to 100 pounds. Choose heavier bags for landing your kicks and punches in the right way. It’s best to take the help of an expert while choosing bags.The material, in which the bags are made, is also a factor that plays an important factor in buying heavy punching bags. Bags may be made of fibre, foam, sand or water.

Fibre (synthetic or natural) is one of the most popular filler material and provides good resistance to kicks and punches wherever you strike

Foam training bags especially free standing ones made from high-density foam provides consistent punching and kicking experience. The bottom of the foam bags do not become stiff as the material does not have the tendency to settle like sand bags

Sand another common filler material in heavy punching bags and provides a good striking experience. The tendency of sand to settle at the bottom may make the bottom harder to hit. Sand filled bags may also form pockets, which can be avoided by selecting high-quality bag.

Water filled bags provide a consistent experience and feel more natural.